List of commonly seen reptile veterinary problems

Hypovitaminosis A

(Vitamin A deficiency). This has overtaken metabolic bone
disease as the most common deficiency based illness we are seeing.

In tortoises and terrapins this presents as swollen eyes,
light sensitivity, lethargy and inappetence. In geckoes it presents as sore
eyes, often with plugs of shed skin trapped under the lids and impacted
(clogged) hemi penile pouches in males. In bearded dragons in presents as
lethargy and inappetence.

We seem to see it more commonly in high yellow / orange
bearded dragons and leopard geckoes.

It can be avoided by offering a broad diet (the more variety
the better), using a broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement (that is in
date) and by gut loading any prey insects with a good variety of foods. Vitamin
A absorption is linked to temperature, vitamin D (UV) and calcium levels so it
is important that the husbandry is correct in order to avoid it.

Boas and pythons with respiratory infections

An increasingly common problem.

This seem to a consequence of inadequate ventilation and
sometimes too low ambient temperatures. Commonly large numbers of boas /
pythons are kept in rack systems in one air space (room) this allows for easy
temperature control but it is important that there is air movement through the
room. Without air movement the air can become stale and saturated with
molecules from the snakes excretions and exhalations. Low power fans to move
the air are a simple solution although we have to be careful to expose the
animals to draughts.

It has been theorised that RIs are more common in snakes
kept in smaller enclosures partly due to the smaller air volume concentrating
the particles but also due to the reduced ability of the snake to stretch out /
move around and adequately stretch out their lung to allow proper air movement
to the full length of the lung.

When a respiratory infection is noted it is important to
quickly isolate the affected animal/s from the rest of the group to prevent it
spreading – I would advise moving the affected animal/s to another part of the
house. Treatments are usually a combination of systemic antibiotics and
nebulisation with diluted F10 disinfectant / antibiotics. It can be useful to
swab the snakes affected to isolate the bacteria involved and select the most
suitable antibiotic to treat it with.

Small ill tortoises

We are seeing far too many small tortoises that are in a
poor state by the time they are seen. Many of these tortoises are, in my
opinion, too small to have been sold as pets. I would suggest that anybody
buying a tortoise looks to buy a 200g+ juvenile rather than a sub 100g baby.
Smaller cheaper tortoises are a false economy if they then become sick and
generate vet bills.

These tortoises are presented with inappetence, lethargy and
general malaise. A common factor seems to be tortoise tables and combo lamps
(i.e. a bulb providing heat and UV). Whilst tortoise tables offer good
ventilation they offer relatively poor temperature control, very young / small
tortoises are far less tolerant of temperature fluctuations. I am not a fan of
the combination bulbs which seem to do neither job (heat and UV) particularly
well.

For small tortoises a large well ventilated vivarium, heated
24hours per day by a thermostatically (dimming thermostat) controlled ceramic
bulb and lit by a UV tube 12hours per day seems to be the safest way to keep
them.

Chameleons

Though they make up only a very small proportion of the
reptiles kept as pets they make up a significant proportion of our reptile
patients.

Even when their husbandry is very good it is rare that we
see a chameleon with good bone density. The females nearly always have
reproductive problems.

To be frank the very fact that they are over represented
would suggest they do not thrive in captivity.

Metabolic bone disease

We are still occasionally seeing reptiles with MBD, most
commonly bearded dragons and chameleons.

Common factors are combo bulbs (these only create a small
area of UV cover), people forgetting to replace UV bulbs / tubes (these need
changed yearly as a minimum), using the wrong uvb percentage tube for the
species and not adequately supplementing calcium.

Affected animals are weak and lethargic. Affected chameleons
have poor grip strength and often their tongues do not function.

UV tubes / bulbs should be controlled by timer switches – we
have seen reptiles struggle when the day length is not consistent.

Bearded Dragons with ovarian follicular stasis

This is not really a consequence of improper husbandry but
just something that happens. Usually these are middle aged to older females
that have not been previously bred.

These lizards present as a bit listless and with reduced
appetite. Symptoms tend to worsen over time. The lizards get stuck half way to
producing eggs, the chemicals and hormones released by the follicles make the
lizard unwell.

It can be difficult to diagnose as the follicles are often
too soft to be palpable and show up poorly on xray, sometimes they can be seen
on ultrasound scan but the lizards scales affect the clarity of the image.
Treatment is by surgically removing the follicles.

Several of the bearded dragons we have treated for this were
thought by their owners to be male – in adults look at femoral pore size for an
indication of sex.

Tortoises damaged by dogs / foxes

We see several tortoises every summer with damage from dogs
and foxes. Some have lost limbs whilst others have had their shells broken. Any
tortoise that is outside unsupervised should be in a fenced enclosure similar
to a rabbit run.

Treatment is by suturing wounds, amputating badly damaged
limbs (affixing wheels), damaged shells are reconstructed with dental cement.
Some very badly damaged animals have had to be euthanised.

Tortoises that are unwell after poor hibernation

Our winters are now too warm and often too variable to
safely hibernate tortoises in a shed or loft. We advise using a fridge with a
thermostat or Lucky Reptile Herp Nursery 2 hibernator.

Weights should be checked to be adequate before hibernation
and females ideally xrayed to check they are not carrying eggs.

Thermal burns

Usually from unguarded heat bulbs or where water has spilt
on heat mats, water conducts heat seven times better than air.

Improper temperatures

We regularly see clients, whose reptiles are failing to
thrive, who do not know what temperatures are within their enclosures. The
reptiles are wholly dependant on us to provide a suitable temperature for them,
too hot is just as bad as too cold.

Thermometers are cheap and are essential equipment for
anyone keeping reptiles. Every heating element, with the possible exception of
low power mats, should be regulated by a dimming thermostat.

Shedding issues

Most commonly snakes and leopard geckoes. Can be avoided by
providing a humidity chamber (box packed with damp sphagum moss) when animal is
shedding.

If the animal has already had a poor shed we will treat it
by placing in a plastic box with 1-2cm of warm water and then leaving it
somewhere warm such as an airing cupboard for 45min+, this softens the unshed
skin allowing it to be gently rubbed away with a damp cloth.

Diseases spreading through collections

We are also seeing infections travel through collections
where people are re homing animals from dubious sources and adding them into
the collection without sufficient quarantine time.

Be careful where you source animals from and keep them
quarantined from the rest of your collection for a minimum of 3 months to see
if they present any signs of problems. Also do not build up collections too
quickly. Consider testing faeces of new animals for internal parasites.

You may feel sorry for an animal in need of a home but you
need to put your existing pets safety first.

Over reliance on one or two food types

The fewer foods types you feed the more likely you are to
experience deficiencies. We regularly see tortoises that a failing to thrive
because the are only being offered commercial salad bags or fat bearded dragons
that will only take meal worms.

In the wild these animals would eat a massive variety of
different foods all with different nutrients and trace elements. In captivity
it is all to easy for us to become reliant on just a couple of food types.

Offer as much variety as you are able, lists of suitable
foods are easily available in books and online.

Reptile mites

Happily this is a less common problem than it used to be.
Still occasionally seen on bearded dragons and snakes. Affected snakes are
often found soaking in their water bowls for long periods. The mites themselves
appear as small dark dots and are often found around the eyes, lips and in the
creases under the chin.

Treatment needs to be of the animal, enclosure and
furnishings. We recommend frontline spray fortnightly for 3 treatments.